Droplets On Heliotropes [Wanderer x Reader]

X

The rooms had been filled with noise and screams. It had been loud, both in the hall, due to the sounds of the holographic memories and your screams, and inside the box that Wanderer was locked into, because he had screamed too. So much noise. Until the recordings finally stopped and a deep, poignant silence filled the rooms. Both of them.

"He deserves to die." Illium's voice cut through the air. "He is a monster, you know it."

The words' meanings hit you and you faced away from the blonde man.

Wanderer screamed your name once more, but still, no reaction. You couldn't hear him. After that last burst of energy, he fell silent once more. Even though finally a crack had appeared, he was unable to lift even a finger. It was as if he was turned to stone. He couldn't move, despite not being restrained other than being locked up in this chamber, he could not, for the life of him, tear his gaze from you.

He saw the horror in your eyes, created by what you had just witnessed.

He couldn't take it, he just couldn't live with the feeling that was tightening his chest in this moment. Like strings wrapped around his nonexistent heart and pulling tighter and tighter, threatening to cut through his entire chest. That you had witnessed his crimes and seen who he really was, that your entire perception of him had been crushed in such an undeniably cruel way, with the truth, was something he just couldn't deal with.

He finally, finally, had found someone who he thought was willing to be with him. Even though the whole relationship had not been at that level yet, he had grown more comfortable with the idea of having you by his side. No, he wanted you by his side. Something he hadn't been able to admit to himself until this very second, this very moment in which the possibility of said outcome had been reduced to zero.

Illiums's words echoed in his head.

"Even a blind person can see that you love her."

It seemed that he had been right. Illium had been correct with his assessment.

Wanderer really did love you. But it took everything falling apart for him to finally realize it.

Now, it was too late. He couldn't look away due to sheer terror, which was part of the expression you wore on your face too, as you processed all the information that you had just been given.

He could see your changing emotions in your face, he could see the shock that you felt because all the actions he had committed. He could see the rage. The disgust.

You were disgusted with him, just like you should be.

It tore him apart.

And then, suddenly, the wall he was pressing himself against gave in. It opened up, into the room where you were standing. With the loss of the sudden support, he fell to his knees, right in front of you.

There was no strength left in him. He could do nothing but look up at you with his tear-streaked face and half-open mouth, not even words left him as he just could not think of anything he wanted to say to you.

It took you a moment to register he was there.

"Wanderer," you asked him with a voice devoid of emotions, not even shocked at his sudden appearance in the hall. "Is this all... true?"

He wanted to lie to you, to tell you that none of it was, none of it had happened, Illium was manipulating you. But he couldn't.

And you saw it in his face, that every single one of these memories was, in fact, the truth.

Your gaze hardened, any semblance of affection that he had once seen in them was gone. And then he was torn apart. It hurt more than anything he had ever experienced when you spoke the words he wouldn't care if anyone else said, anyone else in this world but you.